MusicBird, a Switzerland-based music rights investment company, has acquired the music catalog of Scottish songwriter, recording artist and producer Midge Ure.
MusicBird says it has acquired the writers share, master recording and neighboring rights income on over 300 songs across Midge Ure’s solo career and his work with acts such as Ultravox, Visage and more.
News of the deal comes a month and a half after MusicBird signed what it called a “major financing deal” with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG), to bolster its cash reserves for music rights deals.
The deal with MUFG gave MusicBird access to a loan facility of up to $100 million.
Midge Ure’s career in the 1970s and 1980s saw him perform in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids, Visage and as the lead singer of Ultravox.
He produced, co-wrote and performed on several synth-pop and new wave classics such as Fade to Grey by Visage, the Ultravox hits Vienna and Dancing with Tears in My Eyes and his UK No. 1 hit If I Was, taken from his album The Gift.
Together with Irish artist Bob Geldof, Midge Ure co-wrote and produced the ‘Band Aid’ charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, which sold over 12 million copies worldwide (as a charity single this was not part of the MusicBird acquisition).
MusicBird’s current portfolio includes the publishing rights of songwriter J.R. Rotem (including hits by Rihanna, Jason Derulo, Fall Out Boy, Iyaz and Sean Kingston) and the master income and publishing rights of multiple Grammy Award-winning artist Shaggy (including It Wasn’t Me, Angel and Boombastic).
“It is a significant moment for me as an artist and songwriter to see my songs find a new home at MusicBird with people who are genuinely passionate about music.”
Midge Ure
Commenting on the deal, Midge Ure, said: “It is a significant moment for me as an artist and songwriter to see my songs find a new home at MusicBird with people who are genuinely passionate about music.
“I think this team will take the songs to new audiences and I am excited to be working with them on that.”
“We are hugely excited to become the custodian of these incredible songs and we are humbled that Midge has entrusted these precious pieces of art to the MusicBird team.”
Paul Brown, MusicBird
Paul Brown, CEO of MusicBird, said: “This is an important deal for MusicBird.
“Midge has written some genuinely timeless hits that were ground-breaking, helping to define the 1980s new wave sound and literally paving the way for those that came after.
“We are hugely excited to become the custodian of these incredible songs and we are humbled that Midge has entrusted these precious pieces of art to the MusicBird team.”Music Business Worldwide
